Best Time to Drive from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel

Right now (3:20 pm PST): about 77 minutes via I-405 South and SR-73 South, usually 79 at this time.

None of this drive is measured by working traffic sensors right now. The rest is estimated from nearby sensors, typical speeds and street traffic, so times can be off. Why so few sensors work.

Typical drive time by departure time

Minutes from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel by day and time you leave (local time)
Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	61	85	82	67	64	65	68	75	85	101	100	96	91	69	64	61
Tue	59	61	78	96	81	68	67	73	116	155	182	196	165	121	84	66	60
Wed	59	61	82	94	83	69	64	73	116	175	197	189	165	128	90	71	60
Thu	59	61	77	89	76	66	67	81	101	164	165	141	124	104	92	78	61
Fri	59	61	67	77	66	63	66	99	136	142	119	93	90	92	80	73	61
Sat	60	60	58	59	61	62	66	73	77	82	83	78	75	66	65	65	60
Sun	60	60	59	62	61	62	64	66	69	70	69	67	68	65	64	64	60

About this drive

On weekdays the 65-mile drive from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel (via I-405 South and SR-73 South) usually takes as little as 59 minutes and up to 198 minutes, when leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays. The fastest times to leave are before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. Midday (11 am to 2 pm) it takes about 99 minutes. On weekends it is slowest around 2:30 pm on Saturdays (89 minutes).

About 59 miles of it is freeway, where times follow typical and live traffic from our sensors, and about 6 miles surface streets (8 to 9 minutes on weekdays), estimated from how jammed the freeways around them are at that time. Drive times are measured from downtown Santa Monica to central Laguna Niguel along the route on the map. Starting or ending elsewhere in a big city can add or save several minutes.

Simulated from typical freeway speeds at each point of the drive for the time you would reach it, from every 5-minute reading we have recorded. We don't have sensors on surface streets yet, so the time on them is estimated from how congested the freeways around each end of the drive are at that time, in both directions: streets jam when the freeways do.

Questions

What is the best time to drive from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel?

On weekdays, leave before 6:30 am or after 8:30 pm. The drive usually takes about 59 minutes then, versus up to 198 minutes at the worst times.

How long does it take to drive from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel?

The 65-mile drive usually takes 59 to 198 minutes on weekdays, depending on when you leave, and about 99 minutes midday.

When is traffic worst from Santa Monica to Laguna Niguel?

Leaving around 2:30 pm on Wednesdays is usually slowest, about 198 minutes.

Freeways on this drive

I-405 South in Los Angeles (27 miles) · I-405 South in Orange County (16 miles) · SR-73 South in Orange County (12 miles) · I-10 East in Los Angeles (3 miles)

Los Angeles traffic right now · Los Angeles traffic tomorrow · Orange County traffic right now · Orange County traffic tomorrow

More drives

Laguna Niguel to Santa Monica (return trip) · Santa Monica to Los Angeles · Santa Monica to Pasadena · Santa Monica to Long Beach · Santa Monica to West Covina · Santa Monica to Burbank · Santa Monica to Glendale · Santa Monica to Santa Clarita · Santa Monica to Van Nuys · Santa Monica to Torrance · Santa Monica to Culver City · Santa Monica to El Monte

Open the live traffic map →

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	61	85	82	67	64	65	68	75	85	101	100	96	91	69	64	61
Tue	59	61	78	96	81	68	67	73	116	155	182	196	165	121	84	66	60
Wed	59	61	82	94	83	69	64	73	116	175	197	189	165	128	90	71	60
Thu	59	61	77	89	76	66	67	81	101	164	165	141	124	104	92	78	61
Fri	59	61	67	77	66	63	66	99	136	142	119	93	90	92	80	73	61
Sat	60	60	58	59	61	62	66	73	77	82	83	78	75	66	65	65	60
Sun	60	60	59	62	61	62	64	66	69	70	69	67	68	65	64	64	60

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	61	85	82	67	64	65	68	75	85	101	100	96	91	69	64	61
Tue	59	61	78	96	81	68	67	73	116	155	182	196	165	121	84	66	60
Wed	59	61	82	94	83	69	64	73	116	175	197	189	165	128	90	71	60
Thu	59	61	77	89	76	66	67	81	101	164	165	141	124	104	92	78	61
Fri	59	61	67	77	66	63	66	99	136	142	119	93	90	92	80	73	61
Sat	60	60	58	59	61	62	66	73	77	82	83	78	75	66	65	65	60
Sun	60	60	59	62	61	62	64	66	69	70	69	67	68	65	64	64	60

Leave	5am	6am	7am	8am	9am	10am	11am	12pm	1pm	2pm	3pm	4pm	5pm	6pm	7pm	8pm	9pm
Mon	59	61	85	82	67	64	65	68	75	85	101	100	96	91	69	64	61
Tue	59	61	78	96	81	68	67	73	116	155	182	196	165	121	84	66	60
Wed	59	61	82	94	83	69	64	73	116	175	197	189	165	128	90	71	60
Thu	59	61	77	89	76	66	67	81	101	164	165	141	124	104	92	78	61
Fri	59	61	67	77	66	63	66	99	136	142	119	93	90	92	80	73	61
Sat	60	60	58	59	61	62	66	73	77	82	83	78	75	66	65	65	60
Sun	60	60	59	62	61	62	64	66	69	70	69	67	68	65	64	64	60